Langtang Trek Day 4 Mundo to Kyanjin Gompa
Click here to read about day 3.
We left Buttercups at the Tip Top Hotel and headed for Kyanjin Gompa. The views on the way were spectacular. We could see Langtang Lirung, Changbu, Kinshung, Urking Kanggari, Ponggen Dopku, Dshabu Ri, Langshisa Ri and many others. After we arrived in Kyanjin Gompa, I hiked around Kyanjin Ri, and visited Kyanjin Monastery. You are welcome to pin these images and share them on your social media. They are great!
Trekking to Kyanjin Gompa
My guide and I woke up extremely early and saw that it was snowing. We decided to go back to sleep to wait it out. We woke up at 6:30 and the sky had cleared up. The sky was a beautiful crystal-clear powder blue with a touch of white haze. The mountains sparkled like streamers in the sky. It was going to be a beautiful day.
We left Tip Top Hotel and started hiking at 7:00. The mountain views were amazing. They were in front of us and behind us. They were to our left and right. We were surrounded by mountains. If you are someone who loves mountains, Kyanjin Gompa is where you want to be. The Annapurna and Khumbu areas are great too, but its hard not to be inspired by Langtang Himal.
We passed mani walls covered in snow and a stupa. I hiked the trail to Kyanjin Gompa completely memorized by the new views. I had better and better views with each step I took. Before I knew it, I was in Kyanjin Gompa.
Finding a tea house in Kyanjin Gompa
My guide and I stood on a ridge overlooking the village. We stood there in silence just looking when a shy little voice caught our attention.
it said: “Please… draw me a sheep.” I’m just joking; the little prince said that. The voice that was speaking to us, asked us to stay at her hotel.
We told her maybe and went to a different hotel to check their prices first. When we returned, she was drawing in the dirt with a stick.
I said: “Take me to your leader!” in the best robot Martian voice I could make. I don’t think she understood, but she did laugh. My guide then asked her in a normal voice to take us to her tea house.
We arrived at Tibet Guest House 5 minutes later. It was a bit expensive but after some negotiation we got the rooms for $5 per night. I know $10 or $15 is not a lot, but if you don’t bargain for prices, the cost of the rooms will become prohibitive. An example of this is bottled water. One bottle of water can range from $3 to $5. That’s more than at Disney Land!
The rooms were a little dirty, but the sheets were clean (I think). The rooms had attached bathrooms with western style toilets and electrical outlets. They had other rooms that were smaller and with out attached bathrooms. These rooms share a bathroom with an eastern style squat toilet.
Hiking around Kyanjin Gompa
I finished checking in and put my gear in the room. After I was situated, I started hiking up Kyanjin Ri , which is right next to the hotel. Unfortunately, clouds started to form, and the entire mountain was covered in condensed water vapor. I thought there is no sense in climbing up to the top if I couldn’t see, so I climbed down.
Note: Clouds tend to form around 8:30 am. Your best mountain views are from predawn to 2 hours after.
I saw a monastery coming down from Kyanjin Ri. Since I still had the rest of the day with very little to do, I decided to go on a village tour. I went to the monastery, which was being built and didn’t have much to offer. There was one monk inside carving a piece of wood into a dragon.
Next, I went to a glacier lake just above the village. It is a small lake, not even labeled on maps, but it is important for the generation of hydroelectric power.
Then I hiked down and bought a slice of apple pie and carrot cake from a bakery. They were both disappointing but good. I remember the apple pie being over spiced with cinnamon and the crust being doughy. The carrot cake tasted like a vanilla cake mix with carrots and raisins added. It was crumbly in some parts and chewy in others.
I payed my bill ($7.5) then meandered back to the tea house. I didn’t do much for the rest of the day.
To continue this journey with me, click here to continue to day 5.